Once upon a time (part 1)...

Fridady was our 16th anniversary. I had planned to get a hotel room and baby sitters and spend the day incommunicado and nakey with him. We will do this another day. The Mighty Hunter did 2 phone interviews for a new job (hoping for an offer next week) and his brother and sister-in-law visited and we cooked shrimp and chicken fajitas. BTW, I rock shrimp and chicken fajitas!



...In a beautiful, pastoral land there was a gal who loved Auburn University. She dreamed of walking the peaceful, tree-lined sidewalks from building to building in search of an education that would equip her with the knowledge and skills necessary for success in her adult life. She fantasized about the fantastic, exciting career she would have in some cool Big City, where she owned a tastefully decorated apartment complete with the sounds of Mozart playing through her BOSE at all hours. And when Mozart was a little too relaxing, then the Black Crowes would reflect the mood change. Returning to her beautiful, pastoral homeland to visit her family, she would wave her professionally-manicured hand out the window of her Lamborghini, acknowledging that she still remembered the country folk that she left behind.





In a neighboring, equally beautiful, pastoral land, there was a young hunter who realized the need for a college education in order to not dig ditches or knit socks for the rest of his life. He dreamed of living in an area near his college of choice that would allow for him to return from class and still make it to the woods before dark to try to bag a deer. His future would certainly allow him to return to his beautiful, pastoral land and raise a family while hunting on the weekends and an annual week-long trip to some far-away hunter's paradise.





**That's all I can manage for making this into a fairy tale. I will now stop the whole narrator voice thing. You're welcome.**





The Mighty Hunter and I grew up in neighboring towns. We attended different high schools. We had never heard of each other before finishing high school.






Him, Class of 1988






Me, Class of 1989






There is a junior/community college in our area that is the easy next step after high school. You know, the Not Ready To Leave Home But Not Wanting To Get Full Time Job School. My best friend had already been at the Jr College for a year and was there with me my first day of classes.






The cafeteria/student center was the place to meet and hang out. There were always several games of Rook or Spades to watch or someone with a deck of cards in the book bag waiting for opponents and partners to waste time and/or skip class with them while they perfected their bluffing and bidding.






That first day, Tammy and I walked into the student center and looked around for a table to occupy while we waited for our classes.






At a table with 3 other guys, he was playing Rook.






"I'm going out with him"






"Yeah, he's cute."






(I realize my use of the word"cute" dates me. I'm old. I admit it. I no longer care - unless covering my gray hairs counts as caring, then in that case, I totally care.)






Within a week or two, I had managed to be dealt into a few Rook games with him. First as an opponent. Soon, we were partners.






His favorite line when he had a good hand and could carry the game without much help:






"just sit there and look pretty"






What a charmer.






Not long after our first Rook games, we had our first date. Some movie. No memory of the movie. Only memory was that he was, shall we say, "goal oriented" as only a teenage boy can be. Also, that he could kiss good. Really good.






And I wasn't interested.






A few more dates and he decided he could "accomplish" more with other girls.






We continued to play Rook as both partners and opponents. We remained friends. We enjoyed annoying each other as much as possible. We never did anything that would prevent any future romance or relationship. I might have stalked him just a little.






The school year passed. We saw each other less and less. I left Jr College and moved to AU the next fall. I marched in the AWESOMEST college marching band. I worked hard (sorta) in my classes.






Auburn is 3 hours from home - easy driving distance for a weekend at home. Yet, football games and marching band commitments kept me at school until the last weekend in October. It was then that I saw him again.






And he was wearing a brand new suede coat.






And it smelled yummy.






And he looked yummy.






And he hugged me instantly.






And later he kissed me.






And I invited him down to AU for a game.






And 2 weekends later, he came.






November 9, 1990. Our official first date this time around.






And this time it stuck.





To be continued...